Go Cubs Go!

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I just completed work on the picture book “Go Cubs Go!” which is the unauthorized history of the Chicago Cubs as seen through the eyes of Grandpa Bruno Bear. It’s written by Marv Levy with historical contribution by George Castle and published by Ascend Books.

This was the fastest turn-around I ever had on a picture book, completing all the illustrations in just 2 and 1/2 weeks! (I drank lots of caffeine to make that happen.) The publisher hopes to have the book out in time for Christmas

I’ll post more details and some images from the book later this week. Until then, here’s a link to the book on Amazon:

Wizard of Oz book cover

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This weekend, I’m attending the annual conference for the  Kansas Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Kansas SCBWI). This year, the conference has homework to be done ahead of time (gasp!) As part of that homework, I had to design and illustrate an new cover for the classic book “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. And this is what I came up with. What do you think?

I’m excited to discover what the other illustrators at the conference created.

It’s A Sunny Life Line Art

As I’ve mentioned before, all my illustration work begins as black and white line art before I add the color. So I draw with the intent to color, obviously, but I love it when I can get the ink drawings to stand on their own as good drawings without the color added. Sometimes, the artwork falls flat without color. Other times, it just shines and I regret that no one will get to see it in the uncolored form. With “It’s A Sunny Life,” I was thrilled with the line art on nearly every page. So I thought I’d show off some of the inked artwork. This work was all done on Bristol paper with my trusty Rapidograph pens and PITT brush pen (although I did cheat and draw the snow in Photoshop on one page.)

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